Jammu and Kashmir pacer Auqib Nabi made his ODI debut for India in the second match of the three-game series against the West Indies at the Barsapara Cricket Stadium in Guwahati on September 30, 2026. The 25-year-old fast bowler replaced all-rounder Nitish Kumar Reddy in India’s playing XI. India entered the second ODI with a 1-0 lead after securing an eight-wicket victory in the series opener at Thiruvananthapuram.
With the series still alive, head coach Gautam Gambhir decided it was the right time to test Nabi in an international match carrying genuine pressure. Gambhir explained that India could have waited until the third ODI to hand Nabi his debut, but believed playing him in a competitive situation would provide greater value.
“We could have given Auqib a chance in the next match too when it’s a dead rubber, but in a dead rubber, you don’t have that pressure which comes with the pressure of winning a series. And we all know that the World Cup is all about pressure. Cricket isn’t going to change like that, only the pressure will be different because the World Cup comes once in four years, so we want to put bowlers under pressure,” Gautam Gambhir said on Star Sports.
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The India head coach stressed that emerging bowlers need exposure to difficult situations rather than being protected by favourable match conditions. According to Gambhir, bilateral cricket provides an opportunity to prepare players for the demands of major tournaments.
He used Gurnoor Brar as another example of the team’s approach, pointing out that the young pacer would benefit from bowling during challenging phases such as the powerplay and death overs.
“For example, Gurnoor. Having Gurnoor bowl in the first 10 overs, bowling at the death, I know people will talk about his analysis, but the more he bowls in tough conditions, in tough situations, the better it is for Indian cricket. Because you can have him bowl in the middle overs and get good analysis or good stats for him, make him bowl defensively, but the more we expose them at such times, the better it is for Indian cricket,” Gautam Gambhir added.
Nabi earned his India call-up after an outstanding 2025-26 domestic season. He finished as the leading wicket-taker in the Ranji Trophy, claiming 60 wickets in 17 innings at an impressive average of 12.65. His performances played a key role in Jammu and Kashmir winning their maiden Ranji Trophy title.
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Overall, Nabi has 170 wickets from 45 first-class matches and 56 wickets in 36 List A games, giving him a strong domestic record across formats. The player he replaced, Nitish Kumar Reddy, featured in the first ODI and bowled five overs, taking one wicket for 45 runs. His inclusion remains part of India’s wider efforts to build depth in the all-rounder department ahead of future international tournaments.
